Methodology: Choice awareness strategies

This chapter introduces strategies to raise the awareness of how to implement smart energy systems and renewable energy solutions based on the Choice Awareness Theory. Choice Awareness is based on the understanding that existing institutional perceptions and organizational interests will often seek to eliminate certain choices from the political decision-making process, when the introduction of radical technological change is discussed. The counterstrategy is to raise public awareness that alternatives do exist and that it is possible to make a choice. Counterstrategies may involve the design of technical alternatives, feasibility studies based on institutional economic thinking, and the design of public regulation measures seen in the light of conflicting interests as well as changes in the democratic decision-making infrastructure. Each of the strategies is elaborated on in this chapter.